Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-02-23
STRUGGLING LAWYERS.
Some Cold Facts for Young Men with Over.
strung and Poetic Aspirations.
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indianapolis Journal
The false notion which young collegians
have entertained from a time when the
memory Of man runneth not 10 the con.
trary that n lawyer il at the summit Of
human aspirations, is responsible for q
good deal of hard luck. Parents whose
overweening desire TO have their sons in a
better position OF LIE than they themselves
enjoy began this miserable form Of educa-
ton. a collegs course, with its methods
Of cultivating oratory through literary So
cictios and professors OF clOcution, over
loads the boys brain with the popular idea
that 10 be lawyer and a tallkcr is the best
thing life can possibly afford. The fasci-
nation Of politics, promises Of Office and
all told, the probable favor Of the busy
tongue OF fame, also increases the fancy
that they can be more readily attained
through the profession of law than
through any other means Of livelihood.
But young lawyer, or an old one either,
who has the failure Of years marked all
over him, is not pleasing person to con-
template. a few years test the worth of
ambition, and If IL fails the man becomes a
successful money-grabbcr or veteran
leading forlorn hope against starvatio
With rare exception the young law st
dent is moved by the highest ideal of In
profession. lie wants 10 be Il lawyer
worthy reputation or none at all He pro
poses 10 scorn trihing or dishonest clent-
age, and 20 take no criminal case unless 10
punish the guilty offender, or TO secure
justice for the falsely accused. And he
proposes 10 know whether the man is
guilty or not before he would even think
Of taking part in the case He would
rather serve justice for nothing than pro-
tcct the Rvowed criminal This ideal is
short lived when the callow professional
begins to shift for himself. Nine-tcuths
of the class are glad enough TO negotiate
on the outside OF n station house cell with
the offender within for ten dollars fee.
The fee is rated according TO the crime and
the possible possessions and outside sup
port the prisoner has. This is shystering
pure and simple. II would be unfair TO
catalogue all youthful lawyers under this
head, but there are those Of some promin-
en- in the profession who do IL unblush-
myly aud bring themselves TO level with
the ignorant louis who are styled lawyers
by courtesy This belongs 10 minor gen
eral practice, and that il about the limit
for two-thirds Of the lawyers, young and
old.
OF twenty-five young mea who begin law
together, two OF them may in twenty-five
years be enjoying fair, reputable and
profitable practice, twelve of the re-
mnindcr will think themselves rich If
they can manage TO scrGpe together $1,000
a year. The rest are apt 10 keep body and
soul together on pickup fees, or to become
bar-room loungers, exchanging legal
points for drinks II may be too sweep
ing Co include all in this last list There
will be manhood sufficient in some ofthen
TO take them INTO honorable positions
ether than law. a few become clerks and
develop into well-to -do-merchants-oth
become successful at.whnt they should
have begun at the outset, farming But il
is poor promises for the young lawyer, no
matter what his ability is, unless he has
means To keep him going for several years.
and then he viii need influential patronage
to help him along in the limo Of his young
dream